The Back on Track salad is probably the most popular salad recipe on the blog, and for good reason because it’s addicting and makes you feel so good when you eat it.

I was first introduced to this lovely salad this past Christmas 2010. My Mother-in-Law, Margaret, found this vegan recipe and made it for me so I would have something to look forward to for my Christmas dinner.

It was so thoughtful of her!

Well, it turned out that it wasn’t just me who gobbled up this salad; every person at our table just raved about it! Between mouthfuls, we could not stop talking about how great this salad was and I knew I would be making it ASAP.

I decided to make a spin-off of this salad and see if I could come up with another delicious flavour…

It got a bit wild!

I made a Cilantro lime dressing and I changed up the veggies. I wasn’t positive that it was going to work, but it turned out better than I could have imagined.

1. In a medium bowl, soak the berries overnight in cold water (optional- I skipped this step this time). The next day, drain the berries and place in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 45 minutes. Drain and cool.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, minced cilantro, balsamic vinegar, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, salt and pepper). Add the dressing and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired. Yield: 7.5-8 cups. Will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Note: next time, I might double the dressing.

[/print_this]

Here are the changes I made:

1) I used Cilantro instead of Parsley

2) Lime instead of lemon

3) Added ground cumin, and removed the mustard and Tamari

4) Added 1/2 red onion

5) Added diced carrot & celery (but I did not like the celery in this so I did not put it in the recipe)

6) I used Spelt berries instead of Wheat berries

7) I changed up how the dressing was made- Instead of mixing in the garlic and herbs into the vegetables, I mixed them in the dressing, as shown here:

This dressing turned out incredible! It is smooth and fresh, with a tangy kick. As soon as I tasted the dressing, I knew it was going to work.

My secret for creating a new dressing is to add each ingredient very slowly and keep tasting as you go. Taste, adjust, taste, adjust, etc.

Mix everything together.

I think I like this version better than the first version! I totally had to hide it from myself in the back of the fridge… ;) It would be amazing to use as a burrito filler complete with fresh guacamole and salsa.

These salads look amazing! The pictures are gorgeous – I can practically smell the cilantro through my laptop :) I am definitely going to try this one. Wasn’t a big fan of wheat berries, but I want to give them a second change in a salad like this with all the other crunchy ingredients & flavors!
Thanks!

I love the original salad, so I’m excited to try this one. Actually, last night I made my stand-by salad dressing with a kick… Cilantro Lime! And then I made Cilantro hummus. Cilantro, cilantro! yum. :)

I’m starting to explore more salads like these as lunch options…even though I’m not fully vegan I am trying to incorporate more dairy-free meals instead of grabbing a slice of cheese pizza. My body just feels more energized on dishes like this one. And of course, anything with cilantro can lure me away from pizza!

No one has ever made me regret a slight allergy to cilantro like you do, Angela! I know it wouldn’t taste exactly the same, but I wonder if I could make the same changes without subbing the cilantro for the parsley and have it come out ok…. or do you have any other recommendations for a possible herb that could work? I can take cilantro in small doses, but I have a feeling 5 tablespoons would have me looking like Lisa Rinna…and not in a good way!

I am a huge fan of your original wheat berry salad (my kids even liked it!) and as soon as I saw the tweet come out for this cilantro lime version I ran to my computer to get the recipe to make it ASAP! Cilantro is my absolute fave! I could sit and eat it by the palm-full! And lime with it…..DIVINE!

I absolutely LOVE cilantro, in fact, when I made your Back On Track Wheatberry Salad I subbed the parsley for cilantro! You have officially got me hooked on wheatberries (and chia seeds, and cacao nibs and overnight oats!), thank you for another amazing sounding recipe!!

Hi Angela,
This salad looks so yummy and perfect for spring and summer! I was wondering if the wheat berries are sold in the organic section of the local Superstore/ Loblaws?
I live in Milton which has the great Canadian Super Store, so I’m hoping I will be able it find there?

I have been looking for the Food for Life brown rice tortilla wraps everywhere: Independent, Loblaws, Canada’s Superstore and Metro. Can’t find them on the shelves (tried bakery and ethnic aisles) and the staff doesn’t seem to know what I’m talking about. What store did you find them at? Where were they in the store?
Thanks!

I love all things cilantro lime! This salad looks so good (I def feel like I say that a lot), but it’s true ;) The colors, textures & ingredient list are all right on target with this recipe Ange. …and such beautiful photos! I need to find some spelt berries… stat!

I DLed a trial version of LR3 and am really loving it!! I know that you, Averie & Kath use it … so I just had to try. All three of you have such beautiful pictures. It’s very addicting and time consuming, but SO fun & rewarding.

I’m doing an OSG tribute week on my blog (no posts yet, but two to come tonight!) and having the Club Med salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini dressing today for lunch! I have the original back on track salad and the black bean and sweet potato salad on the docket as well!

I love that each of your photos for every recipe is different. I know you probably hear this a lot, but you’re SO talented. I too am in love with high fiber, high protein salads. They’re easy to put together and they make so much that I get to have them for lunch during the weekdays! Thankfully, I don’ t have to hide my salads, as long as I put beans or lentils in them, my bf will not dare to go near them. mwahahah!

I love that you said the Back on Track was your own personal fave salad, or ranks right up there. I love to know what a blogger loves most from her own recipe arsenal.

The 1st pic in the post (the Back On Track II Cilantro Lime Spelt Berry Salad)…oh it’s breathtaking! The way the light is hitting it. The yellow bowl and spoon reflecting back. The yellow + pink bowls (perfect for Easter, spring)…just a gorgeous shot, Angela!

That salad looks so refreshing! It looks like a great way to start off spring! As our almost 3 year-old daughter would say, “So yummy! So yummy! There’s a party in my tummy!” :) That was something she learned from a kid’s show she used to watch.

I am vegan since 2 days ago (newbie alert!) and your blog had been a true inspiration. You pictures are absolutely glorious! I have been cooking my *ss off these last days and I’m having a blast.

I did your Buckwheat Tabbouleh for lunch. The taste was über-delicioustastic but…and this may be a total case of TMI!!!!!…since being vegan I had the most disgusting and foul gas. Good thing I work from home! Does it get better with time? Do you drink a special kind of tea to deal with the gas issue.

All the high protein salads look great and so aesthetically pleasing. I am yet to try one so i will have to hurry up and do so. I recently made your dark chocolate covered raisins, so addictive, i had to hide them in the back of my fridge but still found them lol.

All of these salads look amazing and the photos are so bright and beautiful. I’m making my list immediately for the farmers market near me tomorrow! I’ve been reading your blog for a while but don’t think I’ve ever commented. I really enjoy it and as a side note, your pictures of Sketchie inspired me to read more about Bengals and I’m fascinated by them! I run a pet sitting business in Charlotte, NC and found out there is a breeder here (www.aristocatbengal.com) so I’m going to visit her cattery on Friday and spend some time with the cats. Anyway….thanks for your wonderful blog! It’s very inspiring for someone like me that really wants to improve my “food lifestyle”!

Wow the sweet potato and black bean dish is definitely happening in my house soon. Your newly revamped salad is perfect for spring and the hopefully soon to come warm weather. All the colors look so festive and gorgeous!!

I made this for dinner tonight and it was awesome!! I made a few changes for the ingredients I had on hand. I can’t wait to have the leftovers tomorrow. My non veg husband really enjoyed it too. I also made your spiced carrot muffins today and they were delicious. I added 1/8 cup of dark chocolate chunks to the mix and they came out perfect :) not too sweet. Thanks!! Leslie

Thanks soooo much for this recipe!! I made it yesterday and it is beyond yummy. And I can just feel how good it is for my body. I doubled the dressing, and it was perfect since I had a bit more veggies than the recipe called for.

I’m so thankful that I stumbled upon your website; I’m not vegan at all, but you have definitely inspired me with all of your wonderful creations. I’ve never been a fan of bananas, but I made the Classic Green Monster this morning, and it wasn’t bad at all! Next up are the Almond Butter Chews. Keep the delicious recipes coming!

I have had a really busy week and even busier day today. I told my husband that I just couldn’t cook tonight. It was going to be an easy “fend for yourself” night. Then I remembered that your Back on Track II salad was on my menu for the week. I couldn’t find spelt berries so I made some bulgur. This came together in no time at all and I am feasting on this gorgeous, delicious, healthy salad. My husband loves it too. I am excited to try some of the other salads on this page. Thanks!

holy camoly! We just made this salad tonight for our Thanksgiving gathering tomorrow–Word. I’m just hoping it lasts until tomorrow because I cannot stop eating it! Thank you so much Angela :D Basically our entire menu has come from your site, which we were lucky enough to find just in time for the holidays!

Hi Angela, congrats on your bump, it’s a very exciting time!
I’m not a vegetarian, but I have loved every recipe I’ve tried from your book so far. You do not disappoint. I do have some difficulty finding some ingredients. Would you mind sharing with me where you shop? I’m in Oakville and having some difficulty finding spelt berries.